Neck seal



F. T. WALLIN NECK SEAL July 2l, 1959 Filed March l?.

' NVENTOIL. ljgncs'l.' Wallin Q 9 United States Pater 2,895,467 NECKSEAL Francis T. Wallin, Brookline, Mass. Application March 17, 1953,Serial No. 342,857

9 Claims. t (Cl. 12S-30) The present invention relates to a neck sealconstruction for a respirator and to other types of similar deviceswhere a wall'opening is to be closed about some element projectingthrough the samefor effecting a seal of a chamber in which the deviceforms a part of the wall. The present invention finds great applicationto respirators and other such devices where it is desired to adjust theseal readily and quickly about the neck or other parts of the body.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of my U.S. Patent No.2,718,225, issued September 20, 1955, and also to my prior issued patentNo. 2,478,852, August 9, 1949.

In my copending application, Serial No. 150,919, I have described aplastic tube which is gathered at the end and retained by elastic tapesor bands which hold the ends of the tubes on the adjustable rings whichmay be rotated one with respect to the other for tightening the neckseal of the respirator. These rings when tightened pleat the tube inwhat has been called a spiral lockt and which gives the generalappearance of a shutter for a camera when partially closed.

The present invention relates more particularly to the improvement ofthe plastic tube itself and the method and means of attaching the tubesto the concentric rings, one of which is attached to the head of therespirator in a permanent position and the second of which is adjustablyrotated coaxially with respect to the first until the tube is properlytightened about the neck of the patient whereupon it is locked or fixedin its adjusted position.

One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a tube whichnot only is readily applied to and removed from the flanges of the ringswhich are attached to the respirator, but also to provide a tube whichwill be durable, strong and not likely to break or split when applied tothe respirator.

A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a tubeconstruction in which the ends of the tubes are reinforced and in whicha puncture or slight jar at the edge will not destroy or impair theutility of the tube.

A further advantage of the present invention is obtained by sealing inthe ends of the tubes a free ring member which does not substantiallycontract the ends of the tube when in place.

A further advantage of the present invention is the means of sealing byheat sealing methods a substantially free O ring in each end of the tubewhich has just sufficient stretch to permit the ends of the tube to befirmly held to the flanges of the rings of the respirator.

A further advantage of the present invention is the covering of theedges of the flanges of the rings by means of a friction rubber-likecover which acts to protect the end surfaces of the tube which comes incontact with the edges of the ilanges of the rings.

Additional and further advantages will be more readily apparent from thedescription in the specification set forth below when taken inconnection with the drawings illustrating an embodiment of the same, inwhich:

Figure 1 shows in perspective a view of the tube forming the neck sealof the respirator as applied to the flanges of the respirator ringFigure 2 shows a section substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary section showing the tube applied to theneck seal rings of the respirator, and,

Figure 4 shows an enlarged detail of the left portion of Figure 3indicating the covering element of the edge of the flange.

With reference to the drawings the actual respirator to which the neckseal is applied is not shown in the drawings, but in Figure 3 however,the gasket or seal element 1 goes up against the head plate of therespirator and next to this is the first neck seal ring 2 which isattached to the respirator by suitable means such as bolts or clamps orany other suitable device. The ring 2 affords with the gasket or sealingring 1 a complete seal about the neck opening in the head plate of theordinary respirator as is commonly understood by reference to my patentmentioned above. A second ring seal 3 which may be turned with respectto the ring 2 holds one end of the tube 4, the other end of which isheld by the ring 2 as indicated in Figure 3. Both rings 2 and 3 areformed with turned flanges such as `5 and 6 which may be U shaped asindicated in Figure 3 or may be just slightly curved to enable it toreceive and hold the ends of the tube 4 in a manner which will bedescribed later. The tube 4 may be formed from a sheet of plasticmaterial such as vinyl plastic or some other form of plastic sheet ofthe thermo-plastic type and may be heat sealed along the seam asindicated at 7, Figure 1.

The ends of the tube are folded over in a loop fashion as shown at 8,Figure 2, and sealed to the side of the tube all around its periphery asindicated at 9. Within the loop which extends all around the tube, thereis positioned an 0 ring 10 which is free from the inner wall of theloop. The O ring 10 is preferably also of a plastic material ascontrasted with a rubber elastic ring or band and has just suflicientstretch so that it may be forced over the end of the flange and contractsufliciently to hold the ends of the tube tightly in the groove of theilange of the rings. The plastic tube 4 is also flexible, yieldable,thin and stretchable to a degree of approximately not much more than 20%of its length. It is not essential that the plastic ring be verystretchable, but a stretch of 10% to 20% serves as usefulness inilexibility, softness in the adjustment of the opening about the neck ofthe patient.

The ends 8 and 11 of the tube need not be of the same size but should beof such a size to tit their respective flanges to which they are to beapplied.

As is indicated in Figures 3 and 4, the ilanges `5 and 6 have thesurfaces of the tubes next to the 0 rings or ends lying against them.Covering the edge of the flange is a cover member 12 which may be ofplastic or rubber material and which provides a certain amount offriction against pulling the ends of the tubes out of the grooves of theflanges.

The covering element 12 s not necessary particularly for this purpose,but it furnishes a smooth, soft covering for the `edge of the metallicflange against 'which the ends of the tubes rest and therefore aids inpreserving the tube against stresses which may be applied in adjustingor tightening the plastic tube about the neck of the patient. The tubes4 are readily replaced simply by forcing the ends of the tubes over therespective flanges which can be done by hand without the use of anytools. The plastic tube 4 `may be quite thin and flexible, of thethickness of an ordinary sheet of paper in the range of approximately.010 yor Ya little greater.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

l. A plastic .flexible yieldable tube having ends of diferentperipheral'size, said ends being formed as closed loops anda plastic exibleyyielding elastic ring, freely positioned in said loops and'coextensivetherewith about each'endof said tube. t

2. A ,plastic flexible yieldable tube having ends of differentperipheralsize, said ends being'forrned as closed loops and a plasticflexible yielding elastic hollow ring freely' positioned in saidtloopsand coeXtensive therewith about eachtend of said tube.

'3. A plastic liexible yieldable tube having ends formed as closed loopsand a Aplastic iiexible yielding elastic ring, freely positioned in saidloops and `coextensive therewith 'about ,each vend vofl said tube.

y4. 'A' plastic flexible yieldable tube having turnedhems at each end ofthe tube secured to the wall of the tube yabout its periphery near theends forming Aclosed loops and -an elastic O ring freely positioned insaidloops.

5. Means for providing a neck seal for a respirator comprising ltworings each having angular flange elements of a general U shape insection, a plastic, flexible, yieldable tube having turned hems at eachend of the tube lsecuredstothe Wall of the tube about its periphery nearthe ends forming closedloops and an O ring freely positioned inl each ofsaid loops, each of said loops with its fo lring having suflicientstretch to'be forced over a lU Shaped flange and held tightly inthe baseof the U.

6. Means for providing a neck Seal for a respirator comprising two ringsveach having angular ange elements for holding the ends of a plastictube, said plastic tube comprising a plastic, liexible, yieldable tubehaving turned hems at each end of the tube secured to the Wall of thetube about its periphery near the ends forming 4 closed loops and an Oring freely positioned in each of said loops, each of said loops withits O ring having suicient stretch to be forced over said angular flangeelements and held tightly thereto.

7. Means for providing a neck seal for a respirator comprising two ringseach having angular ilange elements for holding the ends of a plastictube, said plastic tube comprising a plastic,vflexible, yieldable tubehaving turned hems at each end of the tube secured to the Wall of thetube about its periphery near the ends forming closed loops and an Oyring freely positioned in each yof said loops, eachof said loops withits O ring having suicient stretch to be forced over said angular flangeelements and held tightly thereto, `and a cover element covering the endedges of each of said angular flanges.

8. Means for providing a neck seal for a respirator comprising two ringseach having angular flange elements for holding the ends of a plastictube, said plastic .tube comprising a plastic, flexible, yieldable tubehaving turned hems at each end of the tube secured to the wall of the-tube about its periphery near the ends forming closed loops and an Oring freely positioned in each of said loops, `each 4of said loops withits O ring having sufficient stretch'to be forced over said angularflange elements and held tightly thereto, and a cover element ofrubberlike material covering the end edges of each of said angularflanges.

9. A tube -as -setforth in claim 3 in which the loop is secured by aheat seal means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,431,918 vArthur Oct. 17, 1922 2,630,799 Nickles Mar. 10, 19532,695,608 Gibbon `Nov. 30, 1954 2,761,442 Emerson Sept. 4, k1956

